Narcissus
by Tuulikki
Summary: There's a little pond,hidden among trees,clear water reflecting the night sky...Looking into that pond you see beauty,but it is the beauty of flames in the eyes of a firefly,the beauty of a poisonous plant...AU Based on the tale of Narcissus, Ryou centric


Short little fic I wrote one day… Hope you'll enjoy it. I wasn't sure if I should choose psychological or angst or supernatural or what as the genres… well, I guess this is kind of a romance, anyway. ^^;;

**Warnings:** character death. Can't be helped. Those of you who know Narcissus's tale probably might have an idea why. Those who don't: I have a summary of one version of it in the end (no spoilers here in the beginning ^^). I guess you could say that this also contains some shounen-ai. Nothing to worry about, unless you've got a _really_ bad yaoi-allergy - this might cause few sneezes.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and I hardly can claim to own anything from the Greek mythology.

Thanks to Rayne-Jelly for betaing. ^^

~*~*~

**Narcissus**

Finally alone.

He was so tired of all those parties, of the constant flow of people around him… He could scarcely believe that he had managed to escape them.

They were _so_ annoying… not that he'd ever tell them that. Still, the truth was that day after day he found it more difficult to put that smile on his lips and then keep it there. They talked and talked and talked… mainly to praise his beauty. Annoying. _So_ annoying. He knew that he was beautiful, he didn't need them to tell him that, and besides, sometimes he felt that he might have really preferred the word 'handsome', but… Oh well, the truth couldn't be denied. With his silky white hair, soft brown eyes, flawless complexion and slender and delicate body he easily claimed the title of the most beautiful youth ever born, much to his annoyance and to the amusement of his friends.

Now he had left all that behind - the adoring young maidens, the snickering friends, the overly proud mother… a little guiltily, he thought about how angry his parents would be once he'd return. Especially his father… the river god Cephisus wasn't really known for his patience and good temper. While his mother, the nymph Liriope…. He sighed a little, feeling the beginnings of a headache. From somewhere she had found a beautiful young nymph, called Echo, and she had decided that the girl would be a perfect match for her beloved son. To please his mother he had spent some time with the girl, but he had to say that he didn't really like her much. She had an irritating habit of repeating everything he said - otherwise she didn't speak at all. Now, from the sparkle in her eyes he could see that she was only joking, but after a while that joke didn't make him laugh anymore.

She was probably looking for him right now, in that party he'd left behind… yes, his mother would be angry too.

_Well, it can't be helped. I need some free time._

Throwing these thoughts away from his mind he set out to enjoy his short freedom to its fullest. Dancing with the wind, wrestling with the clouds, chasing the little birds and butterflies, playing with furry bear cubs… all in all, the day was quite perfect.

The night came fast, all too fast. The birds fell silent and the butterflies disappeared, the cubs went to bed and even the wind settled down to rest. He walked alone in the quiet meadows, into a small forest, climbed on the shadowy hills, drawing the silence and peace into himself. Just then a small pond caught his eye, half hidden by trees, its clear water reflecting the night sky. Suddenly he realized that he was quite thirsty, and knelt down by the pond to drink. As he reached down to scoop up some water with his hand, his eyes met his reflection in the dark water, and he froze in shock.

_That can't be me…_

Hand reached out, hovering a mere inch above the water he stared at the reflection, eyes wide, suddenly feeling his heart beating faster. Yes… there was his white hair reflected in the water, his - and still _not_ his. As he raised his hand to touch his hair the reflection did so too, but its hair was even whiter, wilder… its eyes more finely defined, sharper and more intense, its nose and mouth… Suddenly he felt his cheeks turning hot as he stared at the beautiful apparition in the water. Beautiful? _He_ was beautiful. This creature was perfect.

"You…" His voice failed him and he cleared his throat embarrassedly. "Are you the nymph of this place?"

There was no answer, and he frowned softly at the silence.

"Please…" he brought his face closer to the water, holding his long hair so that it wouldn't disturb the reflection. "Please, answer me. I…" He leaned forward, even closer, almost close enough to… With a sudden move he sat up feeling his cheeks burning.

_What on earth am I thinking…_ Placing his hand on his pounding heart he stared at the pond for a moment, jumped then to his feet and all but flied from the place, thirst forgotten.

~

"Ryou! Hey Ryou, wait!"

"What?" Shaken awake from his thoughts he looked over his shoulder. He had been walking around in his mother's gardens, it had always been his favorite place when he wanted to think. The white pillars and statues, rippling springs and fountains, and the colorful plants with their sweet scents created a perfect, peaceful place for some meditation. 

"Oh, hi Yuugi." He smiled a little at his friend who finally caught up with him.

"Where did you disappear yesterday?" Yuugi gave him a questioning look.

"Oh, I… I just wanted to have some free time," Ryou muttered avoiding his friend's eyes.

"Your parents were angry."

Ryou winced a little. "I know." His father's anger wasn't something that was easily forgotten.

"Echo's parents came to visit and would have wanted to meet you…"

Ryou sighed. "I know…"

For a moment they walked in silence. Then Yuugi asked, "So what did they say?"

Ryou smiled sadly. "I'm under house arrest."

"Oh, I'm sorry… but I can keep you company."

"That's great. I…" Ryou stopped abruptly walking to think. He had scarcely slept last night, thinking about the reflection at the pond. He felt restless, and he had to know whether he had just imagined things or if there really was a nymph living at that pond, if such a beautiful creature really could exist…

"Yes?" Yuugi looked at him questioningly, and he turned slowly to look at his small friend. 

"Yuugi… could you do me a small favor?"

"Well…" Yuugi scratched his cheek nervously. There was something in Ryou's voice he didn't like. He sounded a little too innocent, something like Katsuya when he was plotting some mischief. He really wasn't used to hear _that_ tone from Ryou. "I guess…"

"Do you remember that bracelet my mother gave me? I… lost it yesterday and I think that I should go to get it back before my parents notice anything, they're angry enough with me as it is." He was a little shocked at how easily the lie left his lips, but… the pond was calling for him. He had to get there, now.

Yuugi blinked. "Lost it? Well, I can go…"

"No!" Yuugi blinked again as Ryou suddenly grasped his arm, stopping him dead. "I… I know where it probably is," Ryou continued more calmly, "but it would take a long time for you to find it. So… if you stay here and tell everyone who comes that I'm in the temple," he gestured towards a little temple in the farthest end of the garden "and that I don't want to be disturbed, I can slip away and get the bracelet. It won't take long."

Once more, Yuugi blinked in confusion. This really wasn't like Ryou at all. "I… umm…"

"Please?" Ryou looked at him as pleadingly as he could, and finally Yuugi nodded smiling a little hesitantly.

"Fine. But be quick about it."

"Sure!" Giving him a bright smile Ryou quickly ran away.

~

It didn't take him long to reach the small pond. Its water was just as clear as he had remembered it to be, and as he hesitantly stepped to its edge he saw that the apparition in the water was even more wonderful than he remembered. His heart leaping in joy he sat down by the pond staring into it. When he finally found his tongue he began to speak.

"Beautiful nymph… ever since I first laid my eyes on you I have been enchanted… You are the only thing in my mind, day and night, and I can barely sleep or eat from how your eyes haunt me. I…" he paused for a moment and bit his lower lip wondering what to say. "I love you," he finally whispered. "Beautiful nymph, please step out of your water and come to me."

Nothing happened. The water was calm, the apparition in it motionless, only some mist floated over it.

"Please…" He reached out with his hand to touch the reflection's cheek. The soft caress caused small ripples in the water, breaking the beautiful picture for a moment. Long he sat by the pond coaxing the nymph to come out, but finally he had to give up and return to his home, where his friend was already growing worried of his long absence - not to mention that he was running short of excuses for why Ryou was spending so much time in the temple.

~

_I can't be crazy, can I? I wouldn't be so stupid that I'd fall in love with my own reflection?_

The figure standing by the small pond was barely recognizable. His hair hung limp and lackluster, there were dark rings around his dull and lifeless eyes, and he was even paler than usually, cheeks hollow and lips colorless.

Here he was once again, standing by this pond as he had been so many times after his first visit. Days had passed, but nothing had changed. Day after day, and later night after night as well, he had come here to ask, to persuade, to coax, to force… to _beg_ the nymph to step out of her - his…? He didn't know even that, and truth to tell, by now it was the last thing he cared about - to beg the nymph to step out of its pond, he had brought gifts, written poems, sang songs, all in vain.

_I can't be so stupid._ And he knew that he wasn't. He had looked at his reflection on mirrors and compared it to this, and he knew that there was a difference - especially nowadays, as the reflection was as beautiful as always.

With a sigh he knelt down and turned his tired eyes, once more, to those of his reflection, those of the apparition, of the cruel nymph… 

"Please… I ask you, for the last time. Come to me."

The whisper died away leaving only silence after it.

"Please…"

He let his head fall to his breast, exhausted. Nothing happened. Nothing was ever going to happen. And he was so tired of this all… He didn't remember when he had last time had a peaceful rest or eaten a decent meal, and he couldn't think about anything but his beautiful nymph. His beautiful, cruel nymph… He knew that his friends were worried about him, but he was tired of lying to them and so he ignored their questions. His parents were worried too, his mother was afraid that he was sick, but he couldn't care less. What did it all matter… all that meant anything to him was in this pond, refusing to come to him. Never before had anyone turned him down like this, but… In this pond.

Everything was in this pond.

Perhaps he had been thinking about this the wrong way round. _He_ was the suitor. And he was the one asking the nymph to leave its home… for what? Yes. How could the nymph know that he really loved it, if he wasn't ready to sacrifice anything for its sake? He stood up, a smile brightening his face, first time for long.

"Would you love me if _I_ came to you?"

There was no answer, but he didn't need one. He knew the truth in his heart, as he knew that his nymph was real.

He took a step forward, into the pond's cold water. It made his legs feel numb, but he didn't care. Finally he was going to meet his loved one. The wind was quiet as he waded deeper, the mist moved slowly upon the calm water, and the stars shone their bright and cold light far above. The water was already up to his waist and the coldness was making moving difficult, but still he waded deeper and deeper… stumbling a little every now and then, the small smile still playing on his thin lips. He stumbled again, and this time he didn't even try to get up but fell into the water, letting it close upon his head. The water enveloped him, and it didn't anymore feel cold, it was warm… warm as a lover's embrace, and he parted his lips to whisper his love into his darling's ear.

Soon the small waves he had caused upon the water faded away and the surface was still again. Clouds had covered the moon and the stars, and darkness crept upon the pond as one more body of which life was drunk away fell to the bottom, settling among the old, decayed bones that covered it.

~

Many weeks had passed, but still Yuugi didn't give up, still he hoped to find his friend. He had been walking long distances during these days, his normally cheerful face grave and depressed. His other friends had offered to accompany him, but he had told them, kindly as always, that he wanted to have some time alone, and they had given him the peace he desired.

He knew that Ryou was dead, he _had_ to be dead, but he just couldn't believe it. And so he was still searching, desperately, while others had given up long ago. Now he was finally returning home, reluctantly, still checking all the possible and impossible places on his way. 

Nowhere there was a sign of Ryou. 

As he walked he began to feel himself quite thirsty, and when a small pond came to his view he headed towards it. Kneeling down to drink his eyes stopped on the reflection he saw in the water, and in an instant his thirst was forgotten. 

The… apparition in the water _couldn't_ be his reflection. Its eyes weren't as big as his, and they seemed to be a deep red… and the hair… Yuugi gulped as he watched the hair. It was of three colors, just like his, but… wasn't there more gold in the reflection than there was in his hair, and the colors seemed brighter, too. In a way, the one in the water… it was as if the reflection were crowned.

Unable to look away, Yuugi stared at the reflection. When he finally remembered how to speak he whispered:

"Are you the nymph of this place?"

**~*~ THE END ~*~**

AN: Narcissus was either the son of the river god Cephisus and the nymph Liriope, or then of Selene (the Moon) and Endymion. In any case he's considered one of the most beautiful men in Greek mythology. He rejected the love of the nymph Echo, and later fell in love with his own reflection in a spring (some say he thought it to be a nymph or then his dead twin sister), and withered away from love. His body was never found, in its place grew a flower, which got his name.


End file.
